Tuesday, April 15, 2014

If Reimer requests a trade and the Leafs pull the trigger, it has been speculated that the landing spot could be one of the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, New York Islanders or Edmonton Oilers.

My take: just as I get done with Ward, here comes Reimer. The first part to that is important....IF Reimer requests a trade. Everyone's guess is that he will request one. The Flames and the Oilers are pretty much done in acquiring goalies, which leaves the Jets and Islanders. The Jets would have to do something with their struggling starter Pavelec, but I believe the Isles and Jets would be front runners.The cost for a disgruntled goaliewould not be much, look to the Nino Niederreitter trade but favoring more of the Isles for the longer term. I'll say this now, these goalies could be had at the draft so that money can be spent on free agents. Even if the Isles do not decide to pick in this years draft, they could very well make a splash.

- If I was a betting man, I’d say Cam Ward will be the starting goalie for the New York Islanders next year, with the Carolina Hurricanes going with Anton Khudobin. The Isles could certainly move forward Josh Bailey and a young defenceman.- Jim Matheson

My take: I cannot find the tweet from Art Staple (@StapeNewsday)but the Isles may take a run at players like Ward/Reimer/Holtby. I'm nervous about Cam Ward coming, strictly because of his injury history. He would certainly help the Islanders get into the playoffs if he were healthy. Perhaps splitting up more time with Nabokov as the potential backup will help with that. He has two years left on a 6.3 millon/yr. contract so the old "Cap Floor" discussions would be over. Carolina is looking to shed payroll and Ward has been in the rumor mill now for a few weeks. Not sure if I want to give up Bailey for Ward when both teams are in the same division. Cam Ward does have a no trade clause, but with him losing his starting job, would he even consider coming to the Islanders? Someone call Doug Weight to recruit him. Still, out of the three goalies mentioned, Ward is one up. Thoughts?

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Only three members of the current Jets should be considered untouchables and they are Wheeler and rookies Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba.

Cheveldayoff hasn’t been in this position until very recently, but he can now deal from a position of strength. He’s got some chips to play and replacements in the pipe.

Just whisper the name Evander Kane at the NHL Draft in Philadelphia this June and watch the offers come zipping in.

An NHL GM recently told me Kane would fetch a major return — roster players as well as prospects and or picks depending on the team or the structure of the deal.

From Hockey This Week Nightside Radio: Mike Carver (@mikecarverwfan) and Paul C. Cuthbert (@cuthbertonline) had NHL.com writer Brian Compton (@BComptonNHL) on to talk about the local hockey teams and when he gets towards the end of his Islanders segment Compton states that Garth Snow will have Evander Kane on his radar with Snow's biggest trade chip being Ryan Strome. The 11 minute Islanders segment can be found starting at 22:00 mark and ending at the 33:00.

My take: I had heard the HTW segment last night, but I read the Winnipeg article this morning. Had that article not come out, I wouldn't be writing this now. I needed confirmation in Jets country that Kane was indeed available.The Islanders will not be the only team going for Kane, but the Islanders now know what the Islanders have in their system and the potential, which makes this idea even a possibility. I must state this is ONLY AN IDEA that has possibilities. If the sale of the Islanders does in fact take place before the NHL draft, could the likelihood of such a move be possible? Would Islanders owner Charles Wang give his approval for such move? Brooklyn could certainly afford Kane's salary and with a number one goalie over the summer and Evander Kane on John Tavares' line, you have a different team heading into camp in September.